Brick by Brick (BDTW #2)

Chapter 2

Hey! Another update! Hope you enjoy!

CHAPTER 2

"Ready for today's new horror?" my brother asks when I walk into the simulations testing room. I groan and sit on the chair, lazily swinging my legs over, and scooting up so my head sits snugly in the head rest.

"Not really," I mutter. My mind isn't a whirlwind today, though-it's calm and still, like a glassy lake. I feel relaxed, thanks to the anti-anxiety medication. Maybe today's simulation won't be that bad.

"You're used to it," he murmurs. He softly strokes my hair, like he used to do when I was afraid-either if it were a thunder storm, a bully at school, or Marcus-and it always calmed me down. I knew though that nothing could calm me down now, not before the horror I was about to witness. I feel the distinct ache of the serum spreading through my neck and close my eyes.

The simulation swallows me.

When I wake, I discover that there is water all around me. As far as I can see, it's only water, no land. The water is deep, deep enough that I can't touch the ground. The only thought that comes racing through my mind: I'm going to drown, I'm going to drown, I'm going to drown. And then I'll die.

When I extend my arm to swim, it's like I'm swimming in a pool of rich, thick molasses, disabling me from moving at all. Despite my lack of movement in my limbs, I feel my body sinking in the water fast.

The water goes from my chest, traveling up my neck and to the line of my jaw, so I tilt my head back to get as much oxygen as I can before I'm drowned completely.

I can't see at all when I open my eyes under the murky water. All it does is make my eyes burn until I want to gauge them out and make my skin prickle with fear and pain. This is probably one of the weirdest simulations I've ever had.

I feel myself rising and I'm about to break the surface and take a gulp of air when I'm dragged back down.

I realize what this fear means as my lungs burn and ache for oxygen. I'm getting so close to the truth, and when I reach it, I just get pulled back under with more lies and confusion. Patch told me the truth, and then the very next day, I learn he's working for Eric. For no apparent reason.

"In a sea of lies there's an island of truths," my mom taught me that when I was young. No matter what kind of lies you are told, the truth isn't far away. I'm not going to drown in this sea of lies. I will not drown. I will not drown.

I break the surface of the water and find myself on an island that overlooks the never ending dark sea. I've done it. I found the truth.

When I wake up, there's a strange aching sensation in my stomach. I cover my mouth with my hand and yell, "Bucket!"

Bass is alarmed for a second then reaches for a near-by garbage can. Acidic bile rises in my throat and falls from my mouth into the bucket with a sour taste. I grimace and cough a little then sit back down in the chair. The aching sensation goes away.

I close my eyes and rest my hands on my stomach. I don't remember the last time I was sick. That was terrible. I cringe.

"Are you taking any medication or something? That doesn't usually happen to initiates. Sometimes prescription medication can interfere with the serum and cause allergic reactions." My brother says.

I shrug. "I'm taking anti-anxiety pills,"

His face scrunches together, like it always does when he's confused. "Since when?"

"Since last night," I informed him. "Clarke suggested I should try them, and they've been helping a little."

He nods, a sort of pain overtaking his eyes. "You can always talk to me you know."